I was stationed at Ft. Drum but lived on the St. Lawrence in Clayton which is between Alexandria Bay and Cape Vincent.

Best experience I ever had with the northern lights was during an airfield seizure training exercise. At the time we were using our PVS-7s and providing security for the engineers as they cleared the land mines on the runway. For those who may read this (other than Douglascide) who aren't familiar with how night vision typically works, it takes the ambient light and magnifies its intensity. A cigarette will appear to be a bonfire.

That evening was one of the most spectacular displays of the northern lights I'd ever seen and wearing night vision only added to the effect. I was in the rear of the patrol and all you could see was the silhouettes of dozens of soldiers looking up at the sky! Probably not the most secure event ever but memorable.